The GAFL strives to lead the curve in the field of adaptive & intelligent control systems, aviation safety technologies, and flight simulation systems. Our faculty and students consistently publish research articles in peer-reviewed journals and regularly present latest developments at major aerospace conferences. Some of our latest research areas and endeavors include:

• Aircraft loss-of-control mitigation through predictive methologies
• Smart sensing and quantification of morphing wing deflections
• Augmented-reality visual guidance technologies for aviation safety and control loss prevention
• Adaptive neural network-based control systems for general aviation aircraft
• Development of control systems resilient to loss of control effectivity and adverse weather
• Unconventional aircraft control techniques using EEG control and interactive hand-motion gestures
• Simulated flight testing through small-scale R/C aircraft and full-scale flight simulators
• Real-world flight testing of adaptive control algorithms

Check out our conference proceedings and published articles here:

• Model Reference Adaptive Control for General Aviation Aircraft: Development, Simulation, and Flight Test
  Advances in Computational Intelligence and Autonomy for Aerospace Systems, pp. 243-288
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, Venkatasubramani S. R. Pappu, John M. Watkins, and Bryan S. Steele
  https://doi.org/10.2514/5.9781624104794.0243.0288

• A Study on Smart SansEC Skin Sensing for Real-Time Monitoring of Flexible Structures
  IEEE Sensors Journal, Volume 18, Number 7, April 2018
  Yulia Kostogorova-Beller, Jonathan Whitford, Kenneth Dudley, Alok Menon, Animesh Chakravarthy, and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2018.2801251
• Real-Time Google Glass Heads-Up Display for Rapid Air-Traffic Detection
  AIAA Journal of Aircraft, Volume 55, Number 1, January 2018
  Melvin Rafi, Balaji Chandrasekaran, Bill Kusmez, James E. Steck, and Jibo He
  https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C034362
• Measurement of Wing Deflections in Flexible Aircraft Using the SansEC Smart Sensor
  IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, Volume 32, Number 10, October 2017
  Alok Menon, Melvin Rafi, Georg Schirmer, Teresa Tran, Jonathan Whitford, Nita Yodo, Yulia Kostogorova-Beller, James Steck, Animesh Chakravarthy, Suresh Keshavanarayana
  https://doi.org/10.1109/MAES.2017.160133
• Kalman-Filter-Based Adaptive Control: Flight Testing on General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Volume 40, Number 9, September 2017
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and John Watkins
  https://doi.org/10.2514/1.G002693
• A Study on Smart SansEC Skin Sensing for Real-Time Monitoring of Flexible Structures
  IEEE Sensors Journal, Volume 18, Number 7, April 2018
  Yulia Kostogorova-Beller, Jonathan Whitford, Kenneth Dudley, Alok Menon, Animesh Chakravarthy, and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2018.2801251
• Turbulence Effects on Modified State Observer-Based Adaptive Control: Black Kite Micro Aerial Vehicle
  MDPI Aerospace, Volume 3, Number 6, February 2016
  Venkatasubramani Subba Reddiar Pappu, James E. Steck, and Guruganesh Ramamurthi
  https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace3010006
• Neural Network Based Adaptive Controller for Attitude Control of All-Electric Satellites
  Advances in the Astronautical Sciences Astrodynamics 2015, Volume 156, 2016
  Suwat Sreesawet, Venkatasubramani Subba Reddiar Pappu, Atri Dutta, and James E. Steck
  https://www.univelt.com/book=5437
• Adaptive Flight-Control Design Using Neural-Network-Aided Optimal Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion
  AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, Volume 11, Number 11, November 2014
  Geethalakshmi S. Lakshmikanth, Radhakant Padhi, John M. Watkins and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/1.I010165
• Single Network Adaptive Critic Aided Dynamic Inversion for Optimal Regulation and Command Tracking with Online Adaptation for Enhanced Robustness
  Journal of Optimal Control Applications and Methods, Volume 35, Number 4, July/August 2014
  Geethalakshmi S. Lakshmikanth, Radhakant Padhi, John M. Watkins, and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.1002/oca.2083
• Crack Propagation Analysis Using Acoustic Emission Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring Systems
  The Scientific World Journal, Volume 2013, Article ID 823603, June 2013
  Zachary Kral, Walter Horn, and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/823603
• Adaptive Feedback Control by Constrained Approximate Dynamic Programming
  IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part B (Cybernetics), Volume 38, Number 4, August 2008
  Silvia Ferrari, James E. Steck, and Rajeev Chandramohan
  https://doi.org/10.1109/TSMCB.2008.924140
• Implementation of Automatic Airspace Avoidance in an Advanced Flight Control System
  SAE 2007 Transactions Journal of Aerospace, March 2008
  Kamran Rokhsaz, James E. Steck, and Yakup Gunbatar
  https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-3817
• Response of an Advanced Flight Control System to Microburst Encounters
  SAE 2005 Transactions Journal of Aerospace, March 2006
  Kamran Rokhsaz, James E. Steck, Rajeev Chandramohan, and Balbahadur Singh
  https://doi.org/10.4271/2005-01-3420
• An Advanced Flight Control System for General Aviation Application
  SAE 2004 Transactions Journal of Aerospace, Volume 113, Number 1, July 2005
  James E. Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, Urpo Pesonen, and Noel Duerksen
  https://doi.org/10.4271/2004-01-1807
• Adaptive Neural Network Inverse Controller for General Aviation Safety
  AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Volume 27, Number 3, May 2004
  Urpo J. Pesonen, James E. Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, Hugh Samuel Bruner, and Noel Duerksen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/1.1923

• A Vision-Based Parameter Estimation for an Aircraft in Approach Phase
  AIAA Scitech 2021 Forum, January 2021
  Balaji Kartikeyan Chandrasekaran, James E. Steck, and Zahra Nili Ahmadabadi
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-1395
• Piloted Simulator Evaluations of an Adaptive Loss-of-Control Avoidance Prediction Architecture and Augmented-Reality Pilot Advisory Display
  AIAA Scitech 2021 Forum, January 2021
  Melvin Rafi, Justin Schmitz, Alok N. Menon, Robert Ross, Abbas Qamar, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-0758
• Real-time Adaptive Optimal Prediction of Safe Control Spaces and Augmented-Reality Head-Up Displays Towards Aircraft Loss-of-Control Mitigation
  AIAA Scitech 2021 Forum, January 2021
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-0757
• Modeling and Control of Uncertain Hybrid Structure Flexible, Morphing Wings with Stability and Performance Guarantees
  AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum, Orlando, FL, January 2020
  Alok N. Menon, Animesh Chakravarthy, Benjamin C. Gruenwald, Tansel Yucelen, and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-1078
• Sensor Fusion Of Structural Finite Element Model With Inertial Sensor Data To Measure Wing Deflection Of A Fixed Wing Aircraft
  AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum, Orlando, FL, January 2020
  Georg Schirmer and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-0947
• Adaptive Prediction of Aircraft Loss-of-Control Margins and Safe Control Envelopes with Longitudinally and Laterally Coupled Higher-Order Dynamics
  AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum, Orlando, FL, January 2020
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-0850
• An Adaptive Flight Control system for a Morphing Flapping Wing Aircraft
  AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum, Orlando, FL, January 2020
  Balaji Kartikeyan Chandrasekaran and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-0592
• Control of a Flexible Wing with Flaps using a Set Theoretic Active-Passive Framework
  AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, San Diego, CA, January 2019
  Alok N. Menon, Animesh Chakravarthy, Benjamin C. Gruenwald, and Tansel Yucelen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-2340
• Adaptive Control System For Flapping Wing Aircraft: A Gain Study On Optimal Control Modification
  AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, San Diego, CA, January 2019
  Balaji Kartikeyan Chandrasekaran and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-2184
• Design, Implementation And Experimental Testing Of An Inertial Sensor System To Quantify Wing Deflection
  AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, San Diego, CA, January 2019
  Georg Schirmer, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-1539
• Simulated Flight Testing of an Adaptive Loss-of-Control Avoidance Pilot Advisory Display
  AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, San Diego, CA, January 2019
  Melvin Rafi, Kiran Rajaram, Mohamed Moustafa, Danial Imran bin Salmaan Hussain, Kevin Morales, James E. Steck, Jibo He, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-0369
• Real-time Adaptive Prediction of Loss-of-Control Margins on a Fourth Order Aircraft
  AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, San Diego, CA, January 2019
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-0368
• An Adaptive Flight Control System For A Flapping Wing Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Kissimmee, FL, January 2018
  Balaji Kartikeyan Chandrasekaran, and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-1836
• Approaches to Real-time Adaptive Prediction of Loss-of-Control Margins with Visual Cue Feedback
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Kissimmee, FL, January 2018
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-1123
• Adaptive Control for Hybrid PDE Models Inspired from Morphing Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Kissimmee, FL, January 2018
  Alok N. Menon, Animesh Chakravarthy, and Nhan T. Nguyen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-0872
• Adaptive Control for Fault Tolerant Autonomous Carrier Recovery
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Kissimmee, FL, January 2018
  Scott Reed and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-0871
• Approaches to Real-time Predictive Estimation of Loss-of-Control Events & Boundaries on Transport Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Grapevine, TX, January 2017
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, Animesh Chakravarthy, and Tansel Yucelen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-1716
• Decentralized Optimal Adaptive Control Architectures for the VCCTEF Aircraft
  58th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Grapevine, TX, January 2017
  Alok Menon, Animesh Chakravarthy, James E. Steck, and Nhan T. Nguyen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-1590
• Flexible Deflection Measurements using the SansEC Smart Sensor
  58th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Grapevine, TX, January 2017
  Alok Menon, Jonathan Whitford, Yulia Kostogorova-Beller, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-1586
• Laplace-Based Predictive Estimation of Loss-of-Control Boundaries on a Transport Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Grapevine, TX, January 2017
  Kiran Rajaram, Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and Animesh Chakravarthy
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-1022
• A Dynamic Heads-Up Air Traffic Locator & Collision Advisory Display Using Google Glass
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, San Diego, CA, January 2016
  Melvin Rafi, Balajikartikeyan Chandrasekaran, Mehmet Kusmez, James E. Steck, and Jibo He
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2016-1627
• Application of a Kalman Filter for Reduction of Sensor/Turbulence-Induced Noise Within a Model Reference Adaptive Controller
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, San Diego, CA, January 2016
  Melvin Rafi, James E. Steck, and John M. Watkins
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2016-1625
• Hardware-In-Loop and Flight Testing of Modified State Observer Based Adaptation for a General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Kissimmee, FL, January 2015
  Venkatasubramani Subba Reddiar Pappu, James E. Steck, Bryan S. Steele, Karthikeyan Rajagopal, and Sivasubramanya N. Balakrishnan
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2015-1997
• System Identification, HIL and Flight Testing of an Adaptive Controller on a Small Scale Unmanned Aircraft
  AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference, Kissimmee, FL, January 2015
  Parth Kumar, James E. Steck and Steven G. Hagerott
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2015-1803
• Modified State Observer based adaptive control law design for the Black Kite MAV
  2014 American Control Conference, Portland, OR, June 2014
  Venkatasubramani Subba Reddiar Pappu, James E. Steck, Viswanathan Shanmugham, and Guruganesh Ramamurthi
  https://doi.org/10.1109/ACC.2014.6858881
• Modified State Observer Based Adaptation for a General Aviation Aircraft - Simulation and Flight Test
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, National Harbor, MD, January 2014
  Venkatasubramani Subba Reddiar Pappu, James E. Steck, Karthikeyan Rajagopal, and Sivasubramanya N. Balakrishnan
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2014-1297
• Demonstration of the Optimal Control Modification for 6-DOF Control of a General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, National Harbor, MD, January 2014
  Scott Reed, James E. Steck, and Nhan T. Nguyen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2014-1292
• Response and Recovery of an MRAC Advanced Flight Control System to Wake Vortex Encounters
  AIAA Infotech@Aerospace Conference, Boston, MA, August 2013
  Melvin Rafi and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2013-5209
• Single Network Adaptive Critic aided Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion with Optimal Control Modification for Fast Adaptation of MRAC Flight Control
  AIAA Infotech@Aerospace Conference, Boston, MA, August 2013
  Geethalakshmi Shivanapura Lakshmikanth, Scott Reed, John Watkins, and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2013-5208
• Single Network Adaptive Critic (SNAC) Architecture for Optimal Tracking Control of a Morphing Aircraft during a Pull-up Maneuver
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Boston, MA, August 2013
  Wilfred Nobleheart, Geethalakshmi Shivanapura Lakshmikanth, Animesh Chakravarthy and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2013-5003
• Flight and HIL Testing of a Longitudinal Model Reference Adaptive Controller on a High-Lag General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Boston, MA, August 2013
  Phillip J. Meikel, Bryan S. Steele, Kimberly Lemon, James E. Steck, and Kamran Rokhsaz
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2013-4933
• Single Network Adaptive Critic (SNAC) Design for a Morphing Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Minneapolis, MN, August 2012
  Wilfred Nobleheart, Geethalakshmi L., Animesh Chakravarthy, and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-4614
• Uadd + Umult MRAC Compensation For Control Reversal: Elevator Miss-rigging in a General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Minneapolis, MN, August 2012
  James Steck and Scott Reed
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-4550
• A Microburst Response and Recovery Scheme Using Advanced Flight Envelope Protection
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Minneapolis, MN, August 2012
  Melvin Rafi, James Steck, and Kamran Rokhsaz
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-4444
• Adaptive Critic Optimization of Dynamic Inverse Control
  AIAA Infotech@Aerospace 2012, Garden Grove, CA, June 2012
  James Steck, Geethalakshmi Lakshmikanth, and John Watkins
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-2408
• Damage Detection with Ultrasonic Sensors and Artificial Neural Networks in Composite Laminates
  2012 Aircraft Airworthiness and Sustainment (AA&S) Conference, Baltimore, MD, April 2012
  Zachary Kral, Walter Horn, and James Steck
• Single Network Adaptive Critic Aided Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion for Suboptimal Command Tracking
  IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control, Denver, CO, September 2011
  Geethalakshmi S. Lakshmikanth, Radhakant Padhi, John M. Watkins, and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.1109/ISIC.2011.6045420
• Application of a Six Degree of Freedom Adaptive Controller to a General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Portland, OR, August 2011
  Kimberly Lemon, James Steck, Brian Hinson, Kamran Rokhsaz, and Nhan Nguyen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2011-6562
• Adaptive Control of an Elastic General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Portland, OR, August 2011
  Brian Hinson, James Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, and Nhan Nguyen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2011-6560
• Demonstration of the Optimal Control Modification for General Aviation: Design and Simulation
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Portland, OR, August 2011
  Scott Reed, James Steck, and Nhan Nguyen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2011-6254
• Model Reference Adaptive Fight Control Adapted for General Aviation: Controller Gain Simulation and Preliminary Flight Testing On a Bonanza Fly-By-Wire Testbed
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Toronto, ON, August 2010
  Kimberly Lemon, James Steck, Brian Hinson, Nhan Nguyen, and Dwayne Kimball
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2010-8278
• Robust Adaptive Control of a General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Toronto, ON, August 2010
  Karthikeyan Rajagopal, S. N. Balakrishnan, James Steck, and Dwayne Kimball
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2010-7942
• Dynamic Inverse Resilient Control of a Damaged Asymmetric General Aviation Aircraft
  48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, Orlando, FL, January 2010
  Michael Arruda and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2010-946
• Composite Panel Damage Detection using Ultrasonic Testing and Neural Networks
  SEM Annual Conference & Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics, Albuquerque, NM, June 2009
  Zachary Kral, Walter Horn, and James Steck
  
• Neural Network Approach of Active Ultrasonic Signals for Structural Health Monitoring Analysis
  SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, San Diego, CA, March 2009
  Zachary Kral, Walter Horn, and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.1117/12.815503
• Crack Propagation Analysis Using Acoustic Emission Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring Systems
  50th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Palm Springs, CA, May 2009
  Zachary Kral, Walter Horn, and James Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2009-2483
• A Model Following Inverse Controller with Adaptive Compensation for General Aviation Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 2008
  H. Samuel Bruner and James E. Steck
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2008-7140
• Implementation of Automatic Airspace Avoidance in an Advanced Flight Control System
  SAE Aerospace Technology Conference and Exposition, September 2007
  Kamran Rokhsaz, James E. Steck, and Yakup Gunbatar
  https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-3817
• Adaptive Critic Flight Control For A General Aviation Aircraft: Simulations For The Beech Bonanza Fly-By-Wire Test Bed
  AIAA Infotech@Aerospace 2007 Conference and Exhibit, Rohnert Park, CA, May 2007
  Rajeev Chandramohan, James Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, and Silvia Ferrari
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2007-2795
• Response of an Advanced Flight Control System to Microburst Encounters
  SAE Aerospace Technology Conference and Exposition, October 2005
  Kamran Rokhsaz, James E. Steck, Rajeev Chandramohan, and Balbahadur Singh
  https://doi.org/10.4271/2005-01-3420
• Effect of Turbulence on an Adaptive Dynamic Inverse Flight Controller
  AIAA Infotech@Aerospace, Arlington, VA, September 2005
  James Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, Urpo Pesonen, Balbahadar Singh, and Rajeev Chandramohan
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2005-7038
• Pilot Evaluation of an Adaptive Controller on a General Aviation SATS Testbed Aircraft
  AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference and Exhibit, Providence, RI, August 2004
  Urpo Pesonen, James Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, Stuart Mochrie, and Mike Maxfield
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2004-5239
• An Advanced Flight Control System for General Aviation Application
  SAE General Aviation Technology Conference & Exhibition, Wichita, KS, April 2004
  James E. Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, Urpo Pesonen, and Noel Duerksen
  https://doi.org/10.4271/2004-01-1807
• Adaptive Neural Network Inverse Controller for General Aviation Safety
  41st Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, NV, January 2003
  Urpo Pesonen, James Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, Sam Bruner, and Noel Duerksen
  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2003-578